Japan, the land of the rising sun, where everything began with the hustle and bustle of an active life. Kanako ran along a busy street with people passing by. Her body glistened with sweat under the rays of the sun shining from behind the towering skyscrapers.
A sleepless night had plagued Kanako's thoughts, the unresolved murder case refusing to release its grip on her mind. As the approaching dawn signaled the arrival of a new day, she finally surrendered to the restlessness and rose from her bed, choosing to embark on a morning run.
Dressed in a black sports outfit and donning white sneakers, Kanako left her residential neighborhood. It was then that her professional instincts kicked in, leading her to stand before the location of the first murder. It was a modest hostel located on a narrow street. A sign above showed the establishment's name as "Fun Heaven." This particular type of hostel was known for its affordability and popularity among the younger generation, especially for couples seeking a "quick" night.
The murder occurred on May 2nd, around 9:30 PM, when a hostel staff member stumbled upon the victim's contorted body while delivering beverages. The deceased was a 17-year-old female high school student from a nearby school. Surveillance cameras had captured footage of an eighteen-year-old male exiting the crime scene, leading to his subsequent arrest. Intriguingly, the suspect adamantly denied being present at the location during the time of the murder. However, a police examination revealed his positive drug test. The male student's family appeared well-off, and it seemed they had spent considerable sums to mitigate the sentence for their child.
Kanako approached and inserted money into the vending machine in front of the hostel, taking out a bottle of water. She took small sips, her eyes vigilantly scanning the surroundings. The street exuded an aged ambiance, with several malfunctioning streetlights yet to be replaced. The walls along the street bore many graffiti sprayed pictures of troublesome youths. Both ends of the street intersected with the main street, providing an ideal breeding ground for illicit activities.
Without lingering for long, Kanako continued to her next destination. After approximately fifteen minutes of steady jogging, she arrived at a park. Walking a little further, she reached a lengthy wooden bench beneath a cherry blossom tree. Since the blooming season had passed, only a scattering of blossoms remained. The bench faced a tranquil lake, and next to it was a lamppost that had been left in disrepair. Young couples often called it with an affectionately nicknamed "Love Seat 14". The number 14, derived from the combination of “one” and “four”; “one” symbolized the harmony and unity of love, and “four” in Japanese was presented for bad luck, the bad luck’s part regarding this broken lamp. Under the cover of darkness, this bench had become a favored spot for couples seeking moments of intimacy, shielded from prying eyes. It was also the site of the second murder.
On the morning of May 12th, a park janitor made a grisly discovery—a lifeless body of another high school girl, aged 18. The manner of her demise mirrored the brutality of the initial murder. Surveillance cameras stationed within the park and along the adjacent street had captured footage of a male student, attired in the same school uniform as the victim, leaving the area on the night of the crime. However, upon reviewing the footage from other cameras along the suspect's presumed route, they found nothing at all, as if he existed and disappeared like a phantom.
Kanako focused on recalling the photos of the victim's body: her face in extreme shock, but no signs of struggle on the clothes. The police also had examined the recorded footage from the time before both incidents occurred. Although the images lacked clarity in revealing the minute details of their faces, but one thing was certain: both victims had willingly accompanied the killer to a secluded location. Futhermore, in a detailed report Kanako just received last night, evidence of sexual activity before their death on the victims' bodies was discovered.
Kanako had carefully reviewed the background investigation file of the victims beforehand, but she couldn't find any special interests or that they shared any activities. It still needed to wait for more reports from the investigation team for the victim Kagari last night, but she had a gut feeling that the results wouldn’t be optimistic. Despite her investigative instincts telling her otherwise, Kanako began to doubt her theory that all three cases were connected by the same culprit. Other teams at the headquarters thought her theory was crazy, time-consuming, and troublesome. However, it was precisely this willingness to explore unconventional paths that had brought her this far in her career.
Feeling mentally drained, Kanako sat down on the bench. She closed her eyes and allowed the gentle breeze to carry away the stagnant thoughts that had haunted her since the previous night. In order to make progress in solving the case, she needed more clues. At that moment, her phone rang. The call she had been waiting for from Peko, her subordinate.
"Captain. I've just received a detailed report on yesterday's murder case involving the student, Ishida Kagari," Peko spoke in a hurried manner.
"You're 15 minutes late," Kanako complained, glancing at the digital clock on her wrist, which displayed 8:15.
“My apologies. I had the report earlier, but I wanted to monitor the interrogation of Yamamoto Shou, hence the slight delay in reaching out."
"Let's proceed with the report," Kanako urged.
"The results align closely with the initial findings. However, our analysis team, following the direction you suggested, did manage to uncover some traces of sexual activity on Kagari's body, though it's not entirely conclusive," Peko flipped through the pages, reading through the analysis before summarizing the key points.
"To be specific, there were indications that Kagari may have engaged in a kiss prior to her demise, and..." Peko's voice dropped to a hushed tone, "Moreover, the victim was found to be... in ‘climax’ state in her final moment." He couldn't help but inject a touch of mirth into his voice.
"Any signs of drugging?" Kanako inquired, brushing off the excitement in Peko's voice.
"No, we tested for various substances, but found nothing."
Kanako paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts, before pressing further. "And what about Shou's case?"
Kanako was somewhat surprised to learn that Shou was a suspect in the case from last night. But based on her assessment of Shou from their few encounters, she didn't think he was involved.
"Oh my god, that brat, you won’t believe what he said," Peko exclaimed with a mix of exasperation and disbelief.
"What happened? Did he confess to being the killer?"
"No, not at all. It was like talking to a wall, he denied all accusations.”
In a dimly lit Tokyo Metropolitan Police interrogation room, Shou sat calmly across from an inspector who unleashed a torrent of screams and shouts. The inspector slammed his fist on the table, his gaze fixed on Shou as if he wanted to devour him whole.
"Hey kid, are you the one who killed Kagari?"
"I didn’t." Despite the inspector's ferocity, Shou's expression remained unperturbed, as if this aggressive interrogation was merely ordinary conversation.
"Then tell me, what did you do last night?"
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"I don't remember anything. I can't even recall how I got home."
"Hey, hey, what kind of lousy excuse is that? Do you think this kind of alibi is acceptable?"
Kanako ended the call after listening Peko's account of the main points from the interrogation. A sigh escaped her lips as she contemplated her next move. She had anticipated gaining new leads from the report, but instead, the case appeared even more convoluted and complex.
"Shou, what are you doing?" Kanako whispered to herself.
Leaving the park behind, Kanako charted her course toward a local police station in the vicinity of the third crime scene, hoping the officers there might have some fresh leads or insights. Along the way, she started to review and summarize all the informations she had gathered thus far.
First, all three victims were high school girls from different schools. Aside from sharing similar body types, no discernible connections between them had surfaced. The three cases spanned a wide geographical area in two connected districts, and the time intervals between each incident were intermittent. With a 10-day gap between the first and second cases, followed by a 14-day interval between the second and third cases. The only common thread tying the three incidents together was the brutal force used to fracture the victims' bones.
Pausing for a moment, Kanako's instincts alerted her that something was amiss. As she contemplated the analysis of a single killer being responsible for all three cases, she noticed a disturbing trend. The level of audacity displayed by the perpetrator seemed to intensify with each subsequent crime. In the initial case, the murder had taken place within the confines of a closed rental room. but in the second and third cases, the crimes had been brazenly committed in open areas, indicating an escalating sense of thrill experienced by the killer. Additionally, in all three cases, the killer required a strong sexual stimulus prior to carrying out the acts. However, in the third case, a simple trigger like a kiss seemed to be enough to set off the offender's homicide.
Despite the perpetrator's growing audacity, the "cooling-off" periods between each crime did not exhibit consistency. These "cooling-off" periods referred to the intervals during which the killer took a break or calmed down before proceeding to the next act. Initially, there was a 10-day gap between the first and second cases. However, the subsequent 14-day hiatus before the third case deviated from the expected pattern, when it should logically have been shorter or equal to 10 days. This anomaly sent a chilling sensation through Kanako's body, filling her mind with a sense of foreboding. She couldn't help but hope that her apprehensions wouldn't materialize into a grim reality.
Ding Dong
The gentle melody of a wind chime filled the air as Kanako stepped into the Tachibana Police Station. The space was compact, with the reception area dominating the right corner. On the left side, a short hallway stretched out before Kanako, leading to a restroom at the far end. Alongside, two rooms faced the wall of windows. One belonged to the police chief, while the other served as the detention area. Although there were three positions in the reception area, only one police officer was present. Well, technically two, but the second officer was currently being pulled away by a middle-aged blind woman wearing black glasses and relying on a cane for navigation. The woman clung to the officer and wept inconsolably.
"Police officer, please help me find Misa," she pleaded desperately.
"No, Hana-san, I'm working," the officer responded with a hint of difficulty. However, after a brief struggle, he relented and allowed himself to be led away. As they passed by Kanako, she couldn't help but observe the scene with curiosity.
Approaching the reception area, Kanako noticed a police officer in a blue uniform. He had a slightly chubby figure, one hand holding a piece of fried chicken while the other operated a computer. The woman's cries were loud, but they seemed to have little effect on him, as if he had grown accustomed to such occurrences. His cluttered desk revealed an assortment of miscellaneous items—toilet paper, nail clippers, a box of fried chicken, and several discount food coupons, mostly for fast food. In the corner of the desk, a figurine of Mikasa from the anime Attack on Titan stood proudly.
Kanako settled herself into a seat and presented her police identification, but the man paid little attention, his eyes fixated on the computer screen as he responded indifferently and mechanically.
"Hello, how can we assist you?" he asked, his tone lacking enthusiasm.
"Hello, I am Police Officer Nakamura Kanako from the Tokyo headquarters," she introduced herself.
"Ack *cough* ack—"
The police officer choked upon hearing Kanako's introduction, immediately shifting into a serious mode. He set aside his half-eaten fried chicken, turning his full attention towards Kanako with utmost concentration.
"Ito Ryosuke," he declared, his voice taking on a deep and polite tone.
"Huh?"
"Ito Ryosuke is my name. You can call me Ryo," he said, taking out a contact card from the drawer and handing it to Kanako. "Please remember my name, feel free to call me anytime." His voice carried a touch of pleading, as if he craved acknowledgment.
Kanako couldn't help but feel slightly taken aback by the abrupt shift in the police officer's demeanor. Nevertheless, she accepted the proffered contact card with a polite nod and a soft smile.
"Ah, yes, I will remember it."
Satisfied with her response, Ryosuke continued their conversation with a polite and professional tone. "Why has a police officer from the Tokyo headquarters come here today?" he inquired, placing deliberate emphasis on the words "Tokyo headquarters."
"Well, I came to review some documents regarding yesterday's case," Kanako explained.
"The investigation from last night, the one involving the victim Kagari? But I believe the headquarters should already have all the necessary information," Ryosuke remarked.
"That's true, but I wanted to verify if there are any new developments," Kanako replied.
"Very well. Please wait here for a moment, although I don't believe there's anything new for you," Ryosuke responded. He rose from his seat and entered the office of the police chief. After a short while, he emerged with a stack of files in his hands. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
Kanako accepted the stack of files and began skimming through them. Just as Ryosuke had predicted, there was no new information. In fact, there seemed to be less than what she had already obtained. With a sigh, Kanako lowered her head to thank the police officer and prepared to depart. However, before she could make her way out, Ryosuke reached out and grasped her hand, halting her movement.
"Wait a minute!" he exclaimed.
Kanako turned to face him, her expression curious. "Yes?"
After a moment of hesitation, Ryosuke mustered his courage and began to speak, determination shining in his eyes. "I... I can provide the information you're looking for," he uttered, his voice tinged with nervousness.
"What do you mean?" Kanako's face regained its seriousness as she settled back into her seat, ready to listen intently to anything that could bring her closer to unraveling the case.
"I am the one who witnessed the perpetrator and reported the suspect in this case," Ryosuke revealed, his voice quivering slightly.
This revelation held significant importance—an insight he could have used to capture Kanako's attention from the very beginning. However, the events of the previous night had left him feeling somewhat insecure. In an attempt to become the center of attention, Ryosuke had approached reporters to provide this crucial information. Yet, after responding to a few questions confirming whether the suspect was a student or not, the reporters had swiftly lost interest in him once they got their hands on footage of the perpetrator. Clearly, tangible evidence outweighed mere recollections in the eyes of the media.
Kanako showed a clear interest in Ryosuke's revelation. She quickly scanned the room and spotted a notebook and pen on the nearby table. Grabbing them, she returned to her seat, ready to jot down any valuable information that Ryosuke might provide.
This was the moment Ryosuke had been waiting for. To become a key figure in helping the Tokyo headquarters solve a murder case. He entertained the thought that if he performed admirably, he might even secure a transfer to the esteemed headquarters, escaping the confines of this small police station. However, Ryosuke's newly constructed stage was about to crumble before him.
A tall, slender police officer, in stark contrast to Ryosuke, rushed into the police station with a pale, terrified face, his hands clutching his trembling stomach— it was the policeman from earlier.
"Ryo, take care of Hana-san for me. I... aaah!...my stomach is my stomach is hurting so much," he implored, before frantically rushing towards the restroom.
Moments later, the anguished cries of the blind woman reverberated through the air, her voice filled with desperation as she struggled to navigate the surroundings. Clinging to the wall to prevent herself from straying off course, she called out to the police officer in a plea for assistance.
"Police officer, where are you?"
It seemed that the stage Ryosuke had been waiting for, would have to be postponed for a while. He placed both hands on his head, his face bowed down in genuine disappointment.
Kanako, somewhat puzzled by this unexpected turn of events, realized that assisting the distressed woman should be the priority. However, it wasn't her responsibility but that of the police officer sitting before her. She stood up and retrieved her contact card from her pocket.
"This is my contact number. Let's meet again after work."
Grateful and appreciative, Ryosuke accepted Kanako's contact card, swiftly tucking it away in his pocket. However, before Kanako could take a step away from her seat, she found herself once again detained by the police officer's firm grasp.
"Kanako-san, a representative from the Tokyo headquarters, we implore your assistance in solving the case of Hana's missing daughter," Ryosuke implored, his eyes reflecting a deep sense of desperation, akin to a pleading puppy seeking aid.